


Melody Aria

by linksofmemories



Series: The Rory to My Amy [13]
Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-01-21
Updated: 2013-01-21
Packaged: 2017-11-26 09:11:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 11,768
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/648959
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/linksofmemories/pseuds/linksofmemories
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“It’s not like we’ve been hiding it from you,” Stiles said. “We haven’t told you who your biological father is—.”</p><p>“It’s you.”</p><p>“Okay, how do you know that?” Stiles said.</p><p>“My last name’s Stilinski and Grandpa always says that I look a lot like Grandma.”</p><p>“Good points,” Stiles said.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Melody Aria

**Author's Note:**

> So, just in case you guys get confused, every different section takes place in a different year. The first section is when Melody is one, she's two in the next, three in the next, etc.

 

 

Sleep was good. Sleep was your friend. Being awake was the enemy. Apparently the enemy was unfortunately going to have to win this time though.

There was a dip in the bed beside him and then a hand was combing through his hair. Derek groaned, turning his head to the side and holding a sleeping Melody tighter in his arms.

“Wake up,” Stiles said. “Everyone’s downstairs waiting.”

“They can keep waiting,” Derek grumbled, opening his eyes to look at Stiles who was grinning at him.

“Or you can let me take Mels downstairs to showcase her around,” Stiles said, making grabby hands. “It’s her first birthday and she’s kind of the guest of honor.”

Derek frowned at that, looking at the sleeping bundle in his arms. It was hard to believe that a year had gone by since she had come into the world. She was still unbelievably tiny and fragile and beautiful.

Stiles gave a heavy sigh, leaning against the headboard and toying with the dark strands of Melody’s hair. “She looks really peaceful.”

“Mhm,” Derek hummed in agreement.

“And when she wakes up she’ll probably start crying—.”

“—Or babbling.”

Melody had definitely inherited the Stilinski trait of not being able to shut her mouth. Even though she had yet to say any definable words, she cooed and made nonsense noises so often she probably thought she was speaking. John said that Stiles had been the same, even bringing out some old VHS tapes with proof, much to Stiles’ chagrin.

“Or babbling,” Stiles agreed and Derek didn’t even have to look at him to know that he was rolling his eyes. “But I think Dad and Melissa are going to go insane if they don’t see her soon. Along with Scott and Allison and David and Jeremy and Chris and Laura and Amelia and our family is _a clan_.”

“Not to mention all of the family friends,” Derek said.

“Who are all also downstairs.”

Derek turned at that, raising an eyebrow. “I thought we weren’t going to invite everyone.”

“Lydia invited herself and then everyone else.”

“Of course,” Derek sighed.

“Well she is Melody’s godmother.”

“So is Laura and she didn’t tell everyone about it.”

“Laura and Lydia invited everyone together.”

He should have seen that one coming. Apparently being co-godmothers (Stiles’ term, not his) of Melody had brought Laura and Lydia close together. It was probably the most terrifying thing that had ever happened to him. He should be grateful that they were both so protective of Melody, but they always found ways of ridiculing Derek and Stiles’ parenting decisions.

“She’s sleeping,” Derek said, looking down at Melody who was now drooling on his t-shirt. “They’ll understand.”

“Yeah,” Stiles said now running a hand up and down her back. “I’m kinda sleepy too. Last day of school is a week from today and all of the parents are sending in stuff with their kids to bribe me into raising grades. One of my kids is going to have to repeat Kindergarten and his mom has been sending in homemade desserts every single day.”

“Why haven’t you brought any home?” Derek asked, keeping an arm around Melody and bringing the other to wrap around Stiles’ shoulders.

“Because we don’t need it,” Stiles said. “Besides, I’m now the most popular guy in the teacher’s lounge.”

Derek laughed at that, pressing his mouth against the top of his head. “You sound like you’re about to fall asleep.”

“I am about to fall asleep,” Stiles nodded. “Which is good because I’ll be well rested for tonight.”

“And what’s tonight?”

“Tonight is you fucking me.”

“ _Stiles_ ,” Derek reprimanded, clutching Melody closer to his chest. “Do you really think you should be saying that in front of our infant daughter?”

“Are you serious, Derek?” Stiles asked. “She’s one and she’s asleep and she has no idea what ‘fuck’ even means.”

Okay. Good point.

“Besides,” Stiles continued. “It’s been way too long. As fun as surprise blowjobs are, I really just need you to fuck me.”

“Yeah?” Derek breathed.

“Yeah,” Stiles nodded. “I need it. I’ve seriously become dependent on your dick in my ass.”

“You’re such a romantic.”

“Just tell me that your dick misses my ass as much as my ass misses your dick.”

“Please don’t.”

Derek was glad that his instincts told him to pull Stiles and Melody closer to him then shove them away when he was startled. Especially when he got startled by his father-in-law standing in the doorway with a disapproving look on his face.

“Dad,” Stiles said (or squawked). “We were just about to—.”

“Save it,” John said, holding his hand up. “I thought I was so lucky to go this long without having to know anything about my son’s sex life. I should have seen this coming.”

John stepped forward, taking Melody out of Derek’s grasp and holding her close. “Now, I’m going to go downstairs and celebrate my granddaughter’s birthday. You two can either stay up here and nap or you can join us downstairs with cake and presents and memories that you’re going to want to have in a few years.”

He then strolled out of the room with a still sleeping Melody in his arms. Derek turned to Stiles who was looking as stunned as Derek felt. He was about to say something (even though he had no idea what to even say), when John came back into the room.

“Melissa and I can take Melody for the night,” he said. “You two apparently need to—” He coughed. “‘Strengthen your marriage’.”

“Thanks, Dad,” Stiles said as John once again left the room. He turned to Derek, his face a bright red. “I’m 26 years-old but I feel like I’m 16 and my dad just walked in on us having sex.”

“Yeah, I get what you mean,” Derek said, nodding in agreement.

**OoOoOoO**

“She is _insane_.”

Derek looked up from where he was working to look at Amelia who was marching her way into his office. She was eight, but acted a lot older. Laura always said that she was like an old lady in the body of a little girl. After Melody had been born she had taken into her role as the oldest kid in their group. First it had been bossing them all around, but now it had shifted to trying to take care of all of them at once.

“And how is that?” Derek asked.

“She keeps screaming at Watson,” Amelia said, throwing her arms in the air. “Mom keeps trying to tell her that Watson is a dog and can’t understand what she’s saying, but she just keeps screaming and Mom thinks it’s the cutest thing in the world.”

Laura probably thought that it was adorable because of the permanent headache it was giving him and Stiles. Melody had reached the “Terrible Twos” and it was definitely showing. She screamed at everything and chased after everything and hit everything and giggled at everything and in theory it was cute, but in actuality it was a nightmare. It frustrated Derek to no end, but also terrified him when she did something potentially dangerous.

Lydia and Allison had already baby proofed their house, but Derek couldn’t help but think that they had forgotten something. It was a big house and baby gates only went so far sometimes.

“Well, just remember that if you hadn’t acted like you were sick this morning, you would be at school instead of here,” Derek pointed out.

“Yeah, but we have a multiplication test today.”

“You’re great at math.”

“But being great at math isn’t cool,” Amelia sighed, plopping herself down in the chair across from Derek’s desk.

This was definitely a conversation that was better dealt with by Stiles or Laura or even Chris. Being popular at school and making friends was something that Derek had next to no experience with. He hadn’t met any of his current friends at school and there was no way he could give Amelia the advice she was looking for.

“I’m sorry,” Derek offered.

Amelia just gave a tiny smile, shaking her head. “I’m gonna go to my room and sleep. Melody is downstairs with mom and I can’t focus on reading.”

Reading instead of watching TV when she was “sick”. Amelia definitely wasn’t like kids her age.

“All right,” Derek said, standing up. “I’m probably going to go see if your mom needs any help.”

“Don’t,” Amelia said. “Save yourself from the monster.”

“That monster’s my daughter.”

She just gave him a skeptical look as they exited his office. Amelia headed toward the staircase going to the third floor and he went to the main staircase. Once he reached the foyer he heard barks and giggles coming from the family room. He made his way over, poking his head in to see Laura with a video camera, recording Melody and Watson.

“Hey,” he greeted, stepping into the room.

Laura gave him a wave, keeping the camera on her subjects. Watson just continued to pant at Melody who was now rolling back and forth on the carpet.

Derek came up behind her and took her in his arms. She squealed, waving her fists and kicking her feet as she twisted her head to look at him.

“Daddy!” she shrieked, a huge smile breaking across her face.

“Hey sweetheart,” he said, turning her around in his arms and pressing kisses all over her face as her giggles persisted. “Are you having fun with Watson and Auntie Laura?”

“Yep!” she said, nodding her head up and down.

So, yeah, Derek was the stay-at-home dad. His business was already running from inside of his house and this saved money on hiring a nanny or dropping her off at daycare. Summers were great though since Stiles was the one taking care of her while he and Laura worked in his office. The school year had just started though and Derek knew that Stiles was still adjusting to not spending every single moment with Melody.

And despite the screaming fits and mini-heart attacks from her wandering off, Derek knew that he would miss it too.

**OoOoOoO**

“She’s got Aria’s eyes,” John sighed, sitting next to Derek on the Argent’s back porch.

“What?” Derek asked, looking from John to where he was looking.

It was the 4th of July and everyone had gathered at the Argent house for dinner and fireworks. Usually they went to Derek and Stiles’ house for family gatherings, but Laura had been insistent at having it here. Derek definitely wasn’t complaining since the clean-up was such a chore.

Almost everyone was inside, letting Derek and Stiles supervise the kids who were now running around the backyard with sparklers as Watson chases after them (and so did Stiles with a sparkler of his own).

“Melody,” John said, nodding toward Melody who was running as fast as she could on her three year-old legs and giggling with Megan and Lizzie.

“Really?” Derek asked.

He always thought that Melody had gotten her biological mother’s eyes. They were originally brown when she had been born but had changed to a brown-green hazel. He loved them nevertheless, liking to think that they were a combination of his green eyes and Stiles’ brown.

“Well, not the color,” John said. “But the shape. I’d recognize those big eyes anywhere and I know you can too.”

He wasn’t talking about Aria, obviously talking about Stiles, but Derek couldn’t help but think about Aria. And he did think about her, he thought about her every time he filled something out for Melody, having to write out her full name. Or when he saw the painting in the dining room or any of her other paintings they had hung up around the house. Or when he saw Stiles flipping through old photo albums with Melody sitting on his lap in the parlor.

And if he thought about Stiles he would be thinking about him forever. Because he woke up to those eyes every day along with warm skin against his and kisses wherever Stiles could reach. Stiles’ eyes were these windows to his soul (and he never understood that saying until he met Stiles) that always told Derek what he was thinking or feeling when his face said something entirely different.

“Dad!”

Derek was brought out of his thoughts by the loud squeal. Across the yard was Stiles with Melody in his arms. Both of their sparklers had gone out and Melody was laughing, clear and bright as Stiles snuggled closer to her before pulling away.

“Wait, what’d you just call me?” Stiles asked.

“Dad,” Melody repeated, her voice now low and sounding like she was afraid she had done something wrong.

Stiles detected that though since he was soon holding her closer and kissing her hair. “No, sweetheart, it’s okay. You’ve just never called me that before.”

“I call Daddy ‘Daddy’ and you ‘Dad’,” she said.

“And that’s ‘Daddy’?” Stiles asked, pointing toward Derek.

“Yup!” she said, nodding.

“And who’s that?” Stiles questioned, pointing to John.

“Grandpa!”

“Good job!” Stiles said, kissing her loud and wetly on her cheek.

Melody let out a shriek before giggling and moving away from Stiles. “That’s icky!”

John chuckled and shook his head. “She’s just like Stiles when he was a kid.”

“I can imagine,” Derek said.

**OoOoOoO**

It would have definitely been a picture worthy moment if Melody hadn’t looked so terrified. She was four and all of her fellow preschoolers already knew the gist of swimming. Her teacher had been worried that Melody was so adamant about not swimming and encouraged Derek and Stiles to try and teach her.

Having a lake at their house had always been a nice addition, but now Melody was treating it like a curse. None of Stiles’ ongoing compliments of how adorable she looked in her purple and white polka dot one piece and dolphin floaties (which Derek had to agree with, she did look absolutely adorable) seemed to help her want to get into the water.

These comments only seemed to fuel her against it, pointing out that if she got into the water then her swimsuit would get wet. And when they pointed out that that was kind of the point of a swimsuit she had fiercely disagreed.

“Come on, Melody,” Stiles sighed, sitting down next to her on the dock where she was currently curled up into a ball, peering into the depths of the lake. “It’s not scary at all; it’s fun. And you know we’re not going to let anything happen to you.”

“But what if the lake monster eats you and Daddy and then me?”

“Lake monster?” Stiles asked, looking from Melody to Derek. “Honey, there’s not a lake monster.”

“Jeremy said that there is one.”

That definitely sounded like Jeremy. He was just over a year older than Melody and definitely not against using that to his advantage. She was teased by him constantly and only Allison was set on disciplining him. Scott was definitely the laidback parent and David, who was now eight, was also extremely laidback. Jeremy was a tyrant though and Derek was hoping that he would someday grow out of it.

“Well, I know for a fact that you’re smarter than Jeremy,” Stiles said.

“How?” Melody asked.

“He’s one of my students,” Stiles explained. “And we had a spelling test and guess what word he didn’t know how to spell?”

“What?”

“Cat.”

Melody let out a giggle before stifling it with her hand. “But that’s an easy one!”

“I know,” Stiles agreed. “Do you know how to spell it?”

“C-A-T,” she said, nodding after every letter.

“That’s my girl,” Stiles said, kissing her forehead.

Derek probably should have told Stiles that making fun of one of his students (and his nephew) wasn’t the smartest idea. But Melody seemed to have calmed down a bit. She looked to where Derek was in the water, sitting in the shallow end.

“So, there’s not lake monster?” she asked.

“Nope,” Derek said, shaking his head. “A few fish, but that’s it.”

“Fish,” Melody said slowly before her face lit up. “Because we don’t like swimming alone.”

It was safe to say that Derek had never seen Stiles that proud. His entire face lit up as he threw his arms around her and she shrieked in surprise.

“After that genius reference we’re gonna have to keep you!” he said.

“Keep me?” she repeated.

“Yeah, we have a five-year warranty on you,” Stiles nodded. “But you’re staying for sure now.”

Melody looked just short of mortified.

“Your dad is kidding,” Derek sighed, standing up and making his way toward the dock. “You ready to get into the water?”

She looked from Stiles to Derek before giving a quick nod. “Yep. I’m ready.”

**OoOoOoO**

“Daddy?”

Derek looked up from the papers he was going over with Laura. It was Melody’s first day of Kindergarten and she looked beyond nervous. Over the summer they had found out that she had been placed in Boyd’s class instead of Stiles’ and she had cried for an hour straight. That was until she found out that Jeremy had been held back and then she had laughed for an hour straight.

Right now she just looked terrified.

“What is it, sweetie?” he asked, pushing his chair back.

Melody took that as an invitation to bound into the room, make her way around his desk and crawl into his lap. “Dad’s in the shower and I can’t braid my hair by myself.”

Derek blinked and mentally cursed. He knew this day was going to come and by Laura’s face she knew his predicament as well. After they had found out that they were having a girl, Lydia had forced Stiles to learn as many hairstyles as she could force into his head. She had tried to teach Derek as well, but Stiles was so good at it that he declined.

Laura sniggered from her armchair on the other side of the room. Derek glared and she just rolled her eyes before outstretching her arms. “Melody, why don’t you let me braid your hair?”

Melody looked at Laura and then shook her head. “I want Daddy to do it.”

“But Darling your daddy doesn’t know how.”

He was positive that that statement didn’t have to sound as mocking as she made it sound.

“Really?” she asked, looking up at Derek with her big eyes. “But I wanted you to do my hair for the first time on my first day of school.”

It was then that he started to regret not taking Lydia up on her offer. Laura seemed to find this adorable though, clasping her hands together before making her way toward them. “Well I guess I’ll just have to teach him how. What kind of braid would you like?”

“The Milkmaid Braid,” Melody said quickly.

What the hell was a Milkmaid Braid? And since when were there different kinds of braids?

“Ooh, nice choice,” Laura said. “That’s gonna look so pretty with your dress.”

Derek was still sitting in his chair with Melody on his lap, just staring at Laura who was definitely smirking. She always had enjoyed his pain.

“All right,” Laura said. “So we need two elastics and a lot of bobby pins.”

“I’ve got ‘em,” Melody announced, shoving her hand in her pocket and depositing them on the desk.

“Nice job,” Laura said, taking an elastic and handing it to Derek. “First you need to separate her hair into two parts.”

Well that was easy enough. He did as she said and then Laura continued to give instructions. It wasn’t as difficult as he thought it would be. Braiding wasn’t that hard, it was just a matter of putting the bobby pins in her hair without scratching her head (which she always let him know by digging her sharp fingernails into his thigh).

After about 15 minutes (which apparently was ten minutes too long) he was given Laura’s stamp of approval before she went off to find hairspray. Derek leaned back in his seat as Melody wiggled around in his lap to face him. Usually parents got emotional on their child’s first day of school, but he was just calm. She was nervous but excited and he knew that she was going to be close to Stiles all day.

“Her hair looks good.”

Derek looked from Melody to Stiles who was entering the office, smiling at him.

“Thanks,” Derek said.

“Daddy took too long,” Melody said.

“I’m sure he did just fine,” Stiles shrugged. “I’m just happy you’re in a Milkmaid mood instead of a French Braid mood.”

“How many braids are there?”

“A ton,” Stiles said. “Milkmaid, French, Fishtail, Dutch, Waterfall, Grecian, there’s a lot.”

“I wish we had a son.”

“I’m sitting right here,” Melody huffed, folding her arms across her chest.

“Really?” Stiles said. “I hadn’t seen you. Ready for your first day?”

Melody froze up at that and Derek ran his hands up and down her sides. “You’re gonna be okay.”

“I know,” she said. “But what if I don’t make any friends? What if no one likes me? What if people think I’m weird?”

“Honey, anyone who doesn’t want to be friends with you isn’t worth being friends with,” Stiles said, crouching down in front of Derek’s chair.

“Really?” she asked.

“Of course,” he assured. “And you already have a great story about how long it took your daddy to do your hair.”

Derek glared. Stiles laughed.

**OoOoOoO**

He woke up to fingers trailing across his stomach and hot kisses being pressed against his neck. Derek shifted slightly, opening his eyes and trying to adjust to the darkness. According to the clock on his nightstand it was 3 AM and he had just been in the middle of sleeping.

“Stiles,” Derek groaned, trying to make his husband out in the dark. “What are you doing?”

“I woke up horny, do something about it.”

Derek let out a snort at that, reaching over to turn a lamp on. The room was filled with a soft glow and he turned back to Stiles, cupping his cheek and sliding their mouths together. Stiles made a soft moan as Derek pushed him against the bed and pressed his body on top of his.

He snuck a hand up Stiles’ t-shirt and pressed a palm against his stomach before mouthing at his ear. “What do you want?”

“For you to make me come,” Stiles said as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. “Preferably soon.”

“That’s no fun.”

“Derek, it’s 3 AM.”

“You’re the one who woke me up,” Derek pointed out. “And maybe I want to make this last.”

“I have school in the morning.”

“Then you shouldn’t have woken me up.”

Stiles let out a sigh and Derek took that as a victory. He slid Stiles’ t-shirt over his head before going back down to run his tongue over one of Stiles’ nipples.

“Seriously?” Stiles asked, his voice coming out shaky already even though Derek had barely touched him. “You’re going through the entire checklist, aren’t you?”

“It’s been too long,” Derek said, slipping a hand inside the back of Stiles’ boxers and palming the warm flesh. “I’ve missed you.”

“I’ve missed you too,” Stiles admitted, running his fingers through Derek’s hair.

Derek smiled against Stiles’ skin, working his fingers between Stiles’ cheeks and pressing one against his hole. He was rewarded in a sharp intake of breath before hands were being pushed on his shoulders.

“Shit, stop it,” Stiles said.

“What?” Derek asked, rolling onto his side as Stiles grabbed his discarded shirt from the floor. “Stiles, if you wanted to top, then—.”

“What? No,” Stiles said, making a face. “Why the hell would I want to top at 3 AM? Why would I wake you up at 3 AM to top?”

Okay, valid point.

“Then why are you—?”

Stiles shoved his shirt over his head before climbing back in bed and pointing toward the lamp. Derek rolled his eyes and turned it off. “Stiles, what’s going—.”

“Daddy? Dad?”

_Oh._

“What is it, sweetie?” Stiles said in a perfect sleepy voice.

“I had a bad dream,” Melody said. “And I know that I’m six and too old to be sleeping with you two, but it was really scary and-and—.”

Her voice caught on her words and Derek turned the lamp back on. Melody was standing in the doorway, her eyes big and wet. Stiles got out of bed while Derek lifted up the covers, inviting her inside. Stiles lifted her up and onto the bed. She slipped under the covers and Stiles got into bed on the other side of her.

“Do you want to talk about your dream?” Stiles asked. “Or do you want to sleep?”

Melody contemplated her options, looking from Derek to Stiles. “Um, I just want to sleep.”

“Okay,” Derek said, kissing her head before stretching over to kiss Stiles and mumble against his lips. “We’re finishing our discussion tomorrow morning in the shower.”

“You got it,” Stiles breathed back.

Derek then leaned over back to his side to turn the lamp off. There was a bit of shuffling around to get comfortable before Melody spoke up again.

“What are you two going to do in the shower?”

“We’ll tell you when you’re older,” Stiles said.

“That’s what Auntie Allison said when I found her and Uncle Scott’s special balloons.”

Stiles let out a loud laugh at that which Derek countered by loudly saying, “Good night.”

**OoOoOoO**

“Is she still doing all right in school?” Melissa asked, sitting across from Stiles and Derek on the screened-in porch. “I know that second grade is almost over for her, but Jeremy’s still struggling.”

“Yeah, she’s been great,” Stiles nodded. “I know her teacher, Ms. Miller, and she loves her. The conferences have all been great too.”

“That’s good,” Melissa nodded.

“I didn’t know Jeremy was still having trouble,” Derek said.

“Scott told me this morning,” Melissa said, looking out into the yard where the kids were looking for Easter eggs. “Apparently he hasn’t stopped struggling.”

“What about tutoring?” Stiles suggested. “I remember having one before I got on Adderall.”

“I’ve tried talking to Scott and Allison, but they just think that it’s something he’ll grow out of.”

It was obvious that Melissa was concerned, but Derek felt like he was lacking in what to tell her. Melody was doing great in school. She didn’t have any problems with her teachers or other students and her grades were great. Melissa seemed to realize this when she sighed and shook her head.

“Sorry,” she said. “I’m just kind of springing this on you and it’s not even your problem.”

“Or yours,” Stiles pointed out. “Don’t worry, they’ll figure it out.”

Melissa gave a tight smile before standing. “I think I’m going to start boiling eggs so that the kids can come in and dye them soon.”

“Need any help?” Stiles asked.

“No, I’ll bully John into helping me.”

She headed inside then, leaving Stiles and Derek alone on the porch. Chris and Laura were outside with the kids and Scott was at the police station on duty while Allison was inside bagging up candy. Stiles stood up from his chair before sitting down in Derek’s lap, pushing his glasses up on the bridge of his nose while he did.

“I’ve been seeing you in those more and more,” Stiles said, wrapping an arm around Derek’s shoulders.

“My vision is getting worse,” Derek admitted. “And I don’t like contacts. Besides, I know how much you like them.”

“I don’t like them.”

“Stiles.”

“I’m serious,” he said. “I don’t like them.”

Derek raised his eyebrows and Stiles cracked, giving a heavy sigh. “Okay, fine, I like them.”

“See, now was that so hard?”

“Incredibly.”

“Liar,” Derek said, moving forward and kissing Stiles.

Stiles reciprocated, pulling Derek closer and opening his mouth. Their sex life had definitely been put mostly on hold since Melody had become a part of their lives, but it was both a blessing and a curse. Now Derek could actually learn how to cherish moments they got like these. Before he had taken every kiss and touch for granted, but now he savored every single one. Now he had no idea when he would get another one where they could actually take their time.

“So,” Derek said as Stiles’ mouth found his neck. “I’m going to ask Scott and Allison to take Melody next weekend.”

“Yeah?”

“Yeah,” Derek said. “They owe us for taking David and Jeremy on Valentine’s.”

“Very true,” Stiles agreed. “And what would we do for an entire weekend without Melody?”

“I’ve got some ideas.”

The weekend did come, but they only made it to Saturday evening until they left to pick up Melody from Scott and Allison’s.

**OoOoOoO**

“So, I was wondering if I could kidnap your daughter for a bit,” Allison said, placing her hands on Melody’s shoulders. “We are the only girls here and I know that you boys don’t want to go shopping with us.”

Melody’s face instantly brightened at that, looking behind her at Allison before looking back to Derek and Stiles. “Oh, please oh please oh please, Daddy! Dad! I really want to go and David and Jeremy are smelly and—.”

“Of course you can,” Stiles said. “Have fun and don’t con your aunt into buying you anything.”

Allison frowned at that, hugging her niece from behind and kissing the top of her head. “Please let me spoil her. I have two sons who always complain when I buy them clothes.”

“And I love clothes,” Melody chipped in.

Derek looked from Melody’s broad smile to Allison’s grin and just sighed. “We’ll pay you back. I know money’s tight for—.”

“It’s fine,” Allison said. “I want to.”

Puppy eyes were then used by Melody, biting her bottom lip and somehow making her big eyes watery. He had no idea when she had learned to use that tactic. It was probably Laura. She always did have a way of getting exactly what she wanted.

“Fine,” Stiles said. “Just don’t go crazy.”

“I won’t,” Allison promised. “All right sweetie, go get your sandals on and we’ll get ready to go.”

“Okay!” Melody chirped, jumping out of the chair and dashing out of the kitchen.

Allison gave a quick smile before following her out of the kitchen and to the family room where David and Jeremy were playing video games.

It was the summer and Scott and Allison had ambushed Derek and Stiles, convincing them to go on a joint vacation. They were in Peter’s beach house, the same one that Derek, Stiles, Laura, Scott, and Allison had gone to so many years ago. Derek could still remember sharing a room with Stiles and being tortured by him walking half-naked around the house for the entire week. (It wasn’t until they were together that Stiles told him that it had been intentional.)

They were sharing the same room, but this time it was a lot less torturous. It was a much needed vacation and Allison was more than willing to watch Melody since they were the only girls. David and Jeremy were almost outside in the ocean and Scott usually slept in until late afternoon.

Melody and Allison came back in the kitchen then, Allison pulling her purse up on her shoulder and Melody right behind her, finishing off her fishtail braid. (Derek had had to endure almost two hours of learning how to braid every single braid Melody liked. A month later she decided to learn how to do them all by herself.)

“Well we’re off,” Allison said. “Scott’s waking up, so he’ll probably take the boys outside to swim.”

Derek caught onto to what she was saying and smiled in gratitude. “Thanks, Allison.”

“Anytime,” she said. “I love spending time with my gorgeous niece.”

Melody smiled brightly at that, looking up at Allison before back to Derek and Stiles. She dashed across the kitchen before launching herself at both of them. “I’ll be back soon, don’t miss me too much.”

Stiles let out a loud laugh at that, kissing her dark hair. “Don’t leave me alone with your daddy for too long.”

“Okay,” Melody said, giving a quick nod before kissing them both on the cheek. “I love you, bye!”

Then she was out of the kitchen and heading toward the foyer. Allison laughed before following her, the front door opening and closing behind them. As soon as the lock clicked, Scott came stumbling into the kitchen. He looked like he had just woken up, but he had his swim trunks on and a beach towel hanging off his shoulders.

“‘Sup,” he said, nodding at them before heading into the family room. “You guys ready to go to the beach?”

The TV was quickly turned off and David and Jeremy came dashing into the kitchen, both already ready to go.

“Awesome,” Scott yawned, waving at Derek and Stiles. “Wish me luck.”

“Don’t drown, buddy,” Stiles said.

“Don’t fall asleep because I can’t promise that I won’t tell my nephews to bury you in the sand,” Derek said.

David and Jeremy grinned broadly at that, looking at each other and then to Derek. Derek smirked at them and their grins widened.

“My boys would never do that to me,” Scott said, rolling his eyes. “Right, guys?”

“Yeah, Dad, we’d never,” Jeremy said, shaking his head.

“Never even think of it,” David agreed.

Scott smiled proudly before heading toward the back door. “Don’t break the house, you two.”

“How would they break the house?” Derek heard Jeremy ask right before the door closed.

Silence then flooded throughout the house and Derek heard Stiles sigh next to him. “I think they’re trying to get us to do something.”

“Really?” Derek asked. “Hadn’t noticed.”

Stiles stood up, running a hand through Derek’s hair. “Yeah, I think they want us to do something that involves no clothes.”

Derek pushed his chair back before standing up, taking Stiles’ hips in his hands. “Well if that’s what they want us to do.”

He then lifted Stiles up, throwing him over his shoulder as Stiles flailed and squawked. “Derek, put me down!”

“Nope,” Derek said, walking toward their bedroom.

“You’re going to throw out your back, you’re way too old—.”

“Shut up, Stiles.”

“Did you just growl?” Stiles asked. “Oh my God, you just growled. This is going to be awesome sex, isn’t it?”

Derek just laughed in response, kicking their bedroom door open before walking inside.

**OoOoOoO**

“This is my last year,” Melody said, entering the kitchen with her hands on her hips.

“What?” Stiles said. “No, it’s not. I did it all through my sophomore year of high school.”

“Well that’s you,” Melody said. “I’m done after this year.”

“At least do it next year too,” Stiles said. “Until your last year of elementary school. You’re only nine, that’s way too young to have your last Halloween dressing up.”

“Stiles,” Derek said. “If she doesn’t want to do it again, then she doesn’t have to.”

Stiles frowned at that, looking from Melody to Derek and then back again. “But it’s fun. You dress up and then get candy.”

“Dad, I’ve been a princess for the past three years, if that doesn’t tell you that I have lost interest, then I don’t know what will.”

“When did you get so old?” Stiles asked. “I remember when you were this little baby who just cried all of the time. Now you don’t want to go Trick-or-Treating anymore.”

“Well, I want to go this year,” Melody said. “Who else is going to make sure Jeremy doesn’t go to the house were they give away unwrapped candy?”

“There’s a house that gives away unwrapped candy?” Stiles asked.

Melody rolled her eyes. Derek was kind of happy that she was starting the rebellious age early so that they wouldn’t have to go through with it when boys were involved.

(And he was still desperately trying not to think of when boys would be involved.)

“I just don’t like it that much anymore,” she shrugged. “It’s not fun. I’d rather just stay home with you two watching _Doctor Who_ reruns.”

“Which Doctor?” Stiles asked.

“Eleven with the Ponds, duh,” she said.

Derek thought that Stiles was going to burst into tears he looked so proud.

“Next Halloween, definitely,” Stiles said. “We can do whatever you want.”

“You’ve made promises this year though,” Derek said, standing up from the table and heading to the foyer. He got her coat from the rack next to the door and went back into the kitchen, handing it to Melody. “You don’t want to let your cousins down do you?”

“No,” Melody sighed. “Even though Amelia’s going to some party with her boyfriend.”

Stiles laughed at that while Derek just froze.

“Amelia having a boyfriend, that’s funny,” Stiles said, chuckling.

“His name’s Tommy,” Melody said. “She said she let him touch her boobs and they made out in the backseat of his car.”

Stiles then started to choke on what was probably air while Derek just held his daughter close to him. “You’re not getting a boyfriend until you’re 30.”

“Or never,” Stiles said. “We forbid you from dating.”

“Dad, Daddy,” Melody sighed. “I’m not going to be like Amelia. I’m not going to date just any guy who asks. I have forms they have to fill out.”

“Forms?” Stiles asked. “What kind of forms?”

“Mostly background check forms,” Melody shrugged. “I don’t want to date a criminal.”

“That’s my girl,” Stiles said, patting her on the back. “Now start acting how nine year-olds are supposed to act so that we can con people into giving you candy.”

**OoOoOoO**

Sunday mornings were for sleeping. Neither Stiles nor Derek were very religious (they only went to church twice a year, on Easter and Christmas Eve, and they only went because John guilt tripped them into going.) So, Sunday mornings had always been days when they could sleep in and maybe enjoy lazily jerking each other off or stumbling into the shower together. They were peaceful and lazy and Derek wouldn’t trade them for the world.

That was until Laura had suggested that Melody take piano lessons.

(“Her name is ‘Melody Aria’, Derek. _Melody Aria._ If she doesn’t at least _try_ to get involved with music then it’s insulting.”

“How is ‘Aria’ a musical name?”

“Derek James McHale, it’s a good thing you’re pretty.”)

At first Melody had complained, always making a face when she had to take her piano books and go to her 30 minute long lessons at a small studio in Beacon Hills. Derek or Stiles would take her, sitting in a small waiting room while she had her lessons. After a few months of her expressing her hatred of it, they had told her that she could stop taking lessons.

Apparently this was insulting to Melody since she insisted on taking them. Another month worth of lessons and it was clear that she was actually beginning to enjoy playing the piano. Stiles told Derek that she probably didn’t like it at first because she was learning the basics.

It made sense to Derek. Melody was exceptionally bright and caught onto things quickly and didn’t give up until she had mastered something. (Unfortunately that didn’t go for sports though. Melody had done softball for a day before stomping off of the field and demanding to be taken home.)

Lydia was completely supportive of Melody’s growing love for music, even going out on a limb and buying a grand piano for their parlor. They had bought a keyboard for her when she had first started taking lessons, but apparently that wasn’t good enough. Derek still remembers coming home after visiting a house he was renovating to see Lydia outside with a clipboard and bossing around men as they unloaded a huge piano from a truck.

Melody loved it and couldn’t be kept away from it ever since it had entered the house. She played it after getting home from school and before going to school and every morning on the weekend for hours at a time. Whenever she had a lesson she would already be at the door with her books cradled in her arms and her hand on the doorknob.

Now their peaceful Sunday mornings were filled with Melody practicing as early as 7 AM. Right now it was 9 AM (a bit of a late start for Melody) and Melody was playing a rather aggressive piece, easily heard even from up on the third floor.

“Melody’s up,” Stiles groaned into his neck, tightening his arm around Derek’s stomach.

“Yeah,” Derek said, grabbing his glasses from the nightstand and slipping them on. “She let us sleep in a bit.”

“Two hours,” Stiles said. “Very nice of her.”

Derek chuckled, pressing his mouth against Stiles’ ear. “Wanna shower before making breakfast for Chopin?”

“Look at you, breaking out composer names.”

“Stiles,” Derek said, trying not to roll his eyes. “Shower or not?”

“Shower, definitely shower,” Stiles nodded, pushing back the covers. “Then we can see if she’ll play ‘Free Bird’ again. That was so awesome.”

“I still think that she’s been taking lessons secretly before. She hasn’t even been taking lessons for a year and she played that.”

“We’ve raised a prodigy.”

**OoOoOoO**

“So, I’m guessing you’ve all wondered why I’ve brought you here today.”

“Okay, Laura, how long have you been waiting to use that line?” Stiles asked, leaning back against the couch.

“A very long time, shut up,” Laura said, pacing back and forth in front of where Derek, Stiles, and Melody were seated on the couch.

“So, why are we here?” Derek asked.

“Well, Melody is 11 now,” Laura said, smiling at Melody who was crammed between Derek and Stiles on the couch.

“Uh-huh,” Melody said, nodding.

“And around this time little girls start something that will be a part of them for the rest of their life,” Laura said. “Well, until they get older, but for most of the rest of your life.”

Derek had a feeling where this was going and he had never wanted to leave a room more than he did then.

“Start what?” Melody asked, looking from Stiles to Derek to Laura. “What? What’s wrong with me?”

“Nothing,” Laura said. “I’m honestly surprised that Amelia hasn’t told you about it before.”

“She probably wanted to torture us,” Derek said under his breath, bringing his hand up to rub his temples. “Okay, let’s get this over with, Laura.”

“All right,” Laura said, clapping her hands together. “Every 28 days you’re going to experience something called a period—.”

“Oh God,” Stiles said. “Do I really have to be here for this?”

“Yep,” Laura said. “I think it’s important that you understand all of the pain and blood your daughter is going to go through.”

“Pain and blood?” Melody repeated, turning pale.

“We should get my mom to explain this,” Derek said. “She was a nurse, she knows what she’s talking about and she’ll probably do it in a humane way.”

“Or we could buy a book,” Stiles proposed. “I’m sure there are books for these things. Melody loves to read.”

“Great idea,” Derek said. “We’ve got this covered, Laura.”

This wasn’t going to cut it though, because as soon as they tried to stand up, Laura glared at them and then pointed to the couch. They both looked at each other before nodding and sitting back down. Laura smirked, pulling an armchair across from the couch and sitting down.

She started to talk and Derek did his best to try to tune her out but still look like he was paying attention (a near impossible feat when Laura was the one talking). He had gone his entire life not knowing the specifics of the menstrual cycle (despite sharing an apartment with Laura and having to buy her Midol and tampons for her because she didn’t want to leave her bed).

Laura continued to talk and he continued to block her out as best as he could when she held up a finger. “Wait, I have diagrams. Let me go get them.”

She then left the room, leaving the three of them on the couch. Derek looked to Stiles who had a blank expression on his face and then to Melody who looked terrified.

“What’s wrong?” Derek asked Melody.

“Oh nothing,” she shrugged. “Just once a month I’m going to be bleeding out of my vagina with terrible cramps and I’ll want to curl up into a ball and die. No big deal.”

“It can’t be that bad,” Derek said.

“It sounds that bad,” Stiles said. “I have so much respect for women.”

“You better,” Laura said, walking back into the room with a manila folder. “Now, diagram time.”

Stiles groaned and sunk down deeper into the couch while Melody clutched Derek’s hand. Now that there were visuals there was no way he was going to be able to block her out.

**OoOoOoO**

Derek hated offices. It was one of the reasons he had decided to have his business work inside of his home. Offices were cold and clinical and the one he was in now was just unsettling.

The principal’s office at Melody’s middle school definitely wasn’t a place he ever thought he would see. Melody hadn’t had any trouble in school, academically or socially. She made good grades and had friends and was a member in different after school clubs. Derek knew that he and Stiles had raised Melody to the best of their abilities and she had never done anything to prove them wrong.

But here they were, sitting across from the principal as he leafed through different files. There was another family cramped in the office with them: a man and woman and daughter. Stiles had taken to giving them the stink eye throughout the five minutes they had been there, wrapping an arm tightly around Melody’s shoulders as if to defend her from them.

“Well, I’m assuming you know why we’re here,” the principal, Mr. Richardson, said.

“Uh, no,” Stiles said. “We don’t.”

“We don’t either,” the father of the other girl added.

“Oh,” Mr. Richardson said, looking at the file in his hands. “Well, it seems that Melody hit Rita.”

The first thing Derek thought was that there had to be a mistake. Melody was calm and collected, she never raised her voice or threw temper tantrums. She was a big believer in talking things out and working through problems with words (or just ignoring them until they went away).

“That doesn’t make any sense,” Stiles said, looking from Melody to Mr. Richardson. “Melody would never hurt—.”

“I did hit her,” Melody said quietly, looking down and picking at a loose strand on her dress.

“What?” Derek asked, looking at her. “Baby, why would you do that?”

“Because—,” Melody started.

“Because clearly you didn’t raise her right,” Rita’s mother chimed in. “The girl needs a mother in her life, two men can’t raise a little girl—.”

“I hit her because she made fun of you,” Melody said, clutching her dress and refusing to look up. “She said that I was a freak and that I had to have a mom somewhere and that she didn’t want me and- and-.”

Stiles acted first, wrapping his arms around Melody and kissing her hair. “It’s okay, sweetie. You don’t need a mom and you’re not a freak for not having one. Your daddy and I love you so much.”

“You shouldn’t have hit her though,” Derek added, placing a hand on Melody’s back. “You need to apologize.”

“She did,” Rita said. “As soon as she did it she started to apologize and walked with me to the nurse’s office to see if I was okay.”

“Well that was very nice,” Rita’s mother said. “But she still hit my daughter. My daughter could be seriously inju-.”

“Mom, I’m fine.”

“No, Rita, you’re not fine,” she continued. “These two can’t handle her—.”

“Can’t _handle_ her?” Stiles repeated, turning toward Rita’s mother. “Are you serious?”

“Stiles,” Derek warned.

“No, I want to have a conversation with Mrs.—.”

“Pardieu.”

“Mrs. Pardieu,” Stiles said. “My daughter is the first in her class and has never had any problems with any of her teachers or classmates. You want to know why? Because my husband and I didn’t raise her to bring other people down who come from a different kind of home. She hit your daughter, I apologize for that, but saying that we’re not qualified to raise her is out of line. Just because we’re two men instead of a man and woman doesn’t mean we aren’t capable of looking after another human being.”

Derek definitely didn’t have anything to add to that. He had an arm around Melody’s shoulders and she was now looking at Stiles with a slightly mortified expression.

“Dad, you can’t just lecture other people,” she said. “You’re not teaching right now.”

Stiles looked from Mrs. Pardieu to Melody. “She deserved it.”

“Maybe, but you didn’t have to be so mean about it.”

“Mels, I wasn’t trying to be—.”

“I think this is settled,” Mr. Pardieu (who hadn’t even said anything until that point) said. “We’ll talk to Rita about respecting others and I’m sure that Mr. McHale and Mr. Stilinski will talk to Melody about keeping her hands to herself. Can we leave now?”

Everyone turned to look at Mr. Richardson who was now just blankly staring at all of them. He nodded and then all of them stood up, the Pardieus quickly walking out of the door first.

**OoOoOoO**

“Daddy, you’re getting old.”

There was nothing like hearing your 13 year-old daughter tell you how old you were getting during clean-up after Friday night dinner. And Stiles snorting behind him didn’t help.

“You’re getting old too,” Derek said, handing Melody a pan to dry.

“I’m getting _older_ , you’re just getting old,” she said.

Stiles now sounded like he was trying to hold back an actual laugh now.

“How so?” Derek asked.

“Well, you’re 44,” she shrugged. “That’s old.”

“It’s old to a 13 year-old.”

“Yeah and your hair’s turning gray.”

Derek had realized that, but it didn’t really bother him. It was going to happen someday and it was better than balding.

“You’re still in great shape though,” Melody said, shoving the pan she had dried into a crammed cabinet before quickly shutting the door. “Most of my friend’s dads who are your age are getting the pooch.”

“You are poochless, babe,” Stiles said. “You’ve gone from an eight pack to a six pack. You’ve hardly let yourself go.”

“I like exercising.”

“We know,” Melody and Stiles said in unison and Derek knew just by the tone of their voices that they were both rolling their eyes.

They continued doing the dishes and eventually finished. Melody kissed them both on the cheek before heading across the house to the parlor. It wasn’t long until the sound of the piano filled the house. Stiles came up behind Derek, wrapping his arms around his stomach.

“Why does our daughter have to be weird and play the piano?” Stiles asked. “Why can’t she get addicted to TV or the Internet like most kids her age?”

“She wouldn’t be our daughter if she did that,” Derek said, turning around in Stiles’ arms and placing his hands on either sides of his neck. “Do you think I’m getting old?”

“No,” Stiles said, shaking his head.

Derek raised an eyebrow.

“Maybe,” Stiles shrugged. “You’re getting gray hair and eye crinkles. Other than that you’re the same Derek as you’ve always been.”

“Really?”

“Yeah, don’t worry about it,” Stiles said. “Besides, I’ve missed being with an older man. For a while I started to forget how much older you are than me.”

Derek snorted at that before pressing his mouth against Stiles’. Stiles hummed into the kiss, clutching the back of Derek’s shirt and moving closer.

“And personally,” Stiles continued, mumbling against Derek’s lips. “I think the gray hair’s kinda sexy.”

“Okay, ew.”

Stiles instantly moved away from Derek, turning to see Melody standing in the kitchen with her nose scrunched up.

“Don’t get me wrong, I’m happy that you two still… copulate,” she said. “But Jeremy is having a Pre-Algebra crisis and if one of you doesn’t drive me over there soon he’s going to throw up again.”

“Roger that,” Stiles said.

Melody gave a nod of approval before quickly exiting the room and heading upstairs to probably grab the things she needed to help Jeremy.

“I’ll drive her over,” Stiles said, kissing Derek again.

“Okay,” Derek said. “You really think that it’s sexy though?”

“Oh fuck yes,” Stiles breathed. “I love holding onto it when you su-.”

“Dad!” Melody yelled, walking past the kitchen and opening the front door. “We’re going!”

“Bye Der,” Stiles said, kissing Derek again before turning around and walking out of the kitchen. “Be home soon.”

**OoOoOoO**

“These are awful seats, who picked these seats?” Laura asked, straightening her back as she tried to see the stage better.

“You did, Mom,” Amelia said, rolling her eyes as she continued to tap on her phone.

“Oh,” Laura said. “Well these seats suck. This school needs to have better seating arrangements.”

“Well why don’t you and Derek pitch an idea and see if you can get a permit,” Amelia suggested.

Laura turned to Derek, her face completely lit up, but Derek just shook his head. “We’re not going to redo the auditorium of Beacon Hills High School.”

“We could.”

“Yeah, but we’re not going to.”

“You’re no fun,” Laura pouted, slumping against her seat.

It was Beacon Hills High’s Winter Talent Show and Melody was one of the performers. Only Derek, Stiles, Laura, Amelia, John, and Melissa could make it, but Stiles was currently setting up his tripod to record her performance.

“You could just record this on your phone,” Amelia pointed out.

“But where would be the fun in that, Pond?” Stiles scoffed. “This camera has much better quality too.”

“Good,” John said. “Because I want a copy.”

“You got it,” Stiles nodded, now starting to set up his camera.

The talent show had of course already started, but it was some kid doing extreme Yoyo-ing to some terrible techno song. He was flipping his hair more than actually yoyo-ing and it was getting old. According to the program, Melody was next and he couldn’t wait. She had been keeping what she was going to perform a secret, but Derek knew that she was going to be amazing.

“Um, thank you Mr. Shockley for that, er, enthusiastic performance,” Ms. Pearson, the principal, said. “Next we have Ms. Melody Stilinski, a freshman in our Gifted and Talented program.”

Their entire group started clapping enthusiastically with Stiles yelling “That’s my daughter!” at the top of his lungs. Derek just reached over to make sure that the camera had started recording.

Melody walked out on stage in the new dress Amelia had bought her for the show, looking ridiculously nervous. She caught sight of them right away and gave a small wave before heading toward the piano that was set up on stage. She sat down on the bench, smoothing out her skirt before leaning toward the microphone that was sitting on the piano.

“Hi, I’m Melody and I’m going to play the piano and sing an original composition,” she said. “I hope you like it.”

“Sing?”

“Original composition?”

“She seriously kept this from you two for this long?” Laura said. “I thought you guys would figure it out before this.”

Derek was about to ask what she meant when Melody started to play. The beginning was about a minute of piano until she started to sing. And Derek felt so stupid. How could he not realize that his daughter could sing? He had heard her singing in the shower or quietly to herself while doing homework or along to a song on the radio, but he had never actually heard her _sing_ before. A quick glance at Stiles was all it took for Derek to know that he had never heard her sing as well.

She had a gorgeous voice and if the silence of everyone in the audience was anything to go by, then they all thought the same thing. And Derek felt so proud. Piano had been something they had introduced her to and encouraged her to do, but no one had ever encouraged her to sing. It was something she had figured out all on her own and she was just as talented at it as she was with almost everything she enjoyed.

**OoOoOoO**

“So, what’s up?” Melody asked, folding her hands together on the dining room table.

“Oh I think you know what’s up,” Stiles said, crossing his arms across his chest.

“Actually I don’t,” she said. “I was working on a song and then you two came crashing into the parlor and then dragged me in here to talk.”

She had a point.

“We found something in your room,” Derek began.

Panic flashed across her face but she quickly covered it up by looking slightly scandalized.

“You looked through my room?”

“We were putting away your clean clothes,” Stiles said.

“You haven’t put away my clothes since I was ten.”

“Okay, we were snooping,” Stiles sighed, reaching behind his back and placing the box of condoms on the dining room table. “But we still found these.”

Melody looked at the box before looking up at Derek and Stiles and then quickly to her hands. She was clearly trying to come up with an excuse, but she couldn’t find one. Derek wasn’t even that mad. She had a boyfriend and Jake was a good kid who hadn’t run out the door after Derek and Stiles had interrogated him for an hour. He wasn’t deluded into thinking he could stop her from having sex and he was happy that she was being safe.

“They’re Amelia’s,” Melody said.

“That’s ridiculous,” Stiles said. “Pond doesn’t have sex.”

There was a pause.

“Okay, maybe she does, but there’s a terrible lie and you know it.”

“Fine, they’re mine,” Melody said. “But the box isn’t even open and I’m still very much a virgin in case you wanted to know.”

“Then why do you have them?” Stiles asked.

“Because when I decide not to be a virgin I’d rather not get pregnant.”

Another pause.

“Damn you’re good.”

“Well I did learn from the best.”

Stiles smiled at that, getting caught up in the compliment before realizing that he was supposed to be lecturing. He opened his mouth to talk again, but Derek cut him off.

“Melody,” he said. “We’re happy that you’ve decided to wait and that you’re going to be safe. Just don’t let Jake or any other guy force you into this, okay? Just promise us that you’ll be careful.”

“I will be as long as you promise not to snoop around my room anymore.”

“Melody, just agree to what he said,” Stiles said.

She pressed her lips together, looking from one to the other and then back again.

“Okay,” she agreed. “I’ll be careful just like I planned before you two decided to look through my underwear drawer.”

“Thank y-. Wait, underwear drawer?” Stiles said. “We found these in your desk.”

“Oh, right, I forgo—.”

“There’s more?”

Before Derek could even convince him to stay, Stiles was exiting the dining room and most likely making his way to Melody’s room. She sighed and slumped back against her chair.

“I don’t know why he’s so up in arms about this,” she said. “You two started dating when he was in high school and you were already in grad school.”

“Yeah, but we still waited until he was 18.”

“Really?” Melody asked.

Derek nodded and Melody seemed to contemplate this as Stiles came back down the stairs probably about to ask about whatever else he had found.

**OoOoOoO**

“Left is brake and gas is right?”

“Yeah.”

“Okay, just making sure.”

“So, what’s the first thing you need to do?”

“Fasten my seatbelt.”

“Then?”

“Check my mirrors.”

“You got it.”

Derek really didn’t want to be there. Stiles was the one who had wanted to teach her how to drive and Derek had had no problems with it. He had enough terrible memories from trying to teach Scott how to drive.

“So put your foot down on the brake and shift the gear from park to drive,” Stiles instructed.

Melody did as she was told and they continued to sit there. The preserve was probably the best place to learn since no cars ever came out there, but Melody was still terrified of driving. She had passed the written test for her permit with a perfect score, but that had been months ago and this was her first time behind the wheel.

“Sweetheart, do you want to take your foot off the brake?” Stiles asked.

“No,” she said, her hands tightening on the wheel.

“And why not?”

“Because then the car will start moving.”

“That’s kind of the point.”

“Yeah, but what if I crash into a tree or a deer comes and jumps out in front of me.”

“Well you’re just going to have to take that chance.”

Melody turned to face him, looking horrorstruck. Derek didn’t really get why she was so scared. Every 16 he had ever known couldn’t wait to get their license, but Melody looked like she was going to die if she took her foot off the brake.

“It’s gonna be okay,” Derek said from the backseat. “If anything goes wrong we’ll take care of it.”

“The passenger isn’t supposed to take the wheel from the driver,” Melody said quickly.

“We never said that,” Stiles said. “We’ll just handle the situation if things get out of hand.”

“Out of hand like taking the wheel away from me when I’m driving?” Melody asked.

“Why are you so paranoid?” Derek asked.

Melody took a deep breath, switching gears back to park. “Jeremy said that it was really difficult.”

“Jeremy again?” Stiles said. “This was just like when you were learning to swim. He said that there was a monster in the lake.”

“And I believed him?”

“You were a gullible child,” Stiles said.

“We were extremely worried that you would never grow out of it.”

“It’s good to see that we were worried for a reason.”

“Not helping,” Melody said. “I just wish I could skip the process of learning how to drive and just be able to drive.”

“Don’t wish your life away, kiddo,” Stiles said.

“I’m not wishing my life away,” she said. “I’m just not used to being this nervous about something.”

“You have always been really quick at picking things up,” Stiles said. “I don’t know who you got that from.”

“Probably from my bio mom.”

Derek met Stiles’ stare in the rearview mirror before the both turned to look at Melody.

“Oh come on,” she said. “It’s not exactly a secret. Just because I’ve never mentioned her before doesn’t mean I don’t know that she exists. I get cards from Holly for my birthday and Christmas and I’ve seen pictures of her while she was pregnant with me and I’ve even met her. I know she was just my surrogate though.”

“It’s not like we’ve been hiding it from you,” Stiles said. “We haven’t told you who your biological father is—.”

“It’s you.”

“Okay, how do you know that?” Stiles said.

“My last name’s Stilinski and Grandpa always says that I look a lot like Grandma.”

“Good points,” Stiles said.

There was a long silence before Derek spoke up. “So, would you be interested in meeting your biological mother?”

“No,” Melody said. “She gave me her eggs, big whoop. I already have two parents, I don’t need anyone else.”

Derek and Stiles both let out matching sighs of relief.

**OoOoOoO**

“All right, three more hours,” Stiles said, sitting down next to Derek on the couch in the family room.

“Yeah,” Derek nodded. “Are you finding it hard to stay awake? Because I am.”

“No,” Stiles said as soon as he started to yawn. “Maybe.”

It was New Year’s Eve and 9 PM and Derek already felt like he was going to pass out. He was lounging on the couch with Stiles pressed against his side as they sleepily watched the TV. Maybe they were getting old.

Every New Year’s Eve before they had always gone out for dinner and then stayed up to midnight with Melody. Now Melody was getting ready for a party and it was going to be their first New Year’s Eve without her. Derek honestly expected her to ditch them long before her senior year, but this was the first time.

“She’ll be okay,” Stiles said, sensing his worry. “She’ll be with Jeremy and even though he’s not the most reliable kid in the world he’ll make sure she’s safe.”

Derek was about to tell Stiles how non-reassuring that sounded when Melody came walking in the room. She had her backpack on her shoulders that was packed with her overnight things and her hands were behind her back.

“What have you got there?” Derek asked, trying to move his head to see what she was holding.

“I got it a few days ago,” she said, standing in front of the couch and blocking the view of the TV. “I only just now opened it.”

“What is it?” Stiles asked, sitting up straight. “Wait is it your letter from—.”

“Yeah,” Melody said, nodding as her face broke out into a smile. “I got in early admittance to Juilliard!”

Stiles moved first as he practically leaped off of the couch and threw his arms around her. “Congratulations!”

“Thanks!” she said, hugging him back. “I was so worried that I wasn’t going to get in. I mean, I knew that I was going to get it, but at the same time I thought that I wasn’t.”

“Well it doesn’t matter now,” Stiles said. “You’re going to New York.”

Derek joined in on the hug as soon as he felt Stiles’ shoulders sag.

“You’re going to New York,” Stiles repeated, pulling away and looking at Derek. “Our baby’s going to New York.”

“I know,” Derek said. “To the school she hasn’t shut up about since she was 11. Congratulations.”

“Thanks Daddy,” Melody said, smiling at Derek.

Stiles seemed to have gone in shock. “You’re going to New York and you’re going to live there and go to school there.”

“Well, yeah,” she said. “That’s kind of the idea.”

Derek could practically see Stiles having an internal crisis, so he gave Melody another hug. “You should leave for your party, you don’t want to be late.”

“Yeah, I want to share the good news,” Melody said, hugging Derek and Stiles one more time. “I’ll call you guys when I get there and I’ll be home tomorrow afternoon.”

“Have fun,” Derek called after her as she headed out of the room and toward the front door.

Stiles collapsed back on the couch and Derek sat down next to him.

“Our baby’s going to New York,” Stiles said.

“Yeah,” Derek nodded. “She doesn’t move until August though, we’ve got time.”

“I know,” Stiles said, leaning against Derek. “I’m just really gonna miss her.”

“Me too,” Derek agreed, kissing the top of Stiles’ head before bringing his attention back to the TV.

**OoOoOoO**

The day in August did finally come though. Melody’s roommate hadn’t shown up yet so they were the first ones there, unpacking all of her things in her dorm room. Melody was beyond excited, already splitting up the closet space and talking about all of the activities the school had during welcome week.

Derek and Stiles were going to stay in the city for a few days before taking a flight back to Beacon Hills. This wasn’t going to be the last time they saw her until fall break, but it was close. Something about seeing her in her dorm room was starting to let the entire thing sink in as well. She was really starting college and about to live her own independent life.

“Dorm life,” Stiles said, sitting down on the bare mattress of one of the beds. “This takes me back.”

“Stiles, you lived in a dorm for one semester,” Derek pointed out.

“Shut up and let me pretend to reminisce.”

Melody let out a giggle while Derek just rolled his eyes.

“What do you need help with?” Derek asked, heading toward the first box he saw.

“Um, nothing really,” Melody shrugged. “I kinda want to unpack by myself. There’s some stuff going on around campus that I want to check out.”

“Oh,” Stiles said, standing up. “So you’re ditching us?”

“Basically,” Melody said. “We’re going to have dinner in a few days anyway. So, this isn’t goodbye-goodbye. Just see you later.”

“I feel like we need a big sendoff scene though,” Stiles said.

“Why?” Melody asked. “We’re going to see each other one more time.”

 “Humor your dad,” Derek said.

Melody contemplated this for a moment before wrapping her arms around Stiles and burrowing her face in his shoulder. “I’m going to miss you so much.”

“I’m going to miss you too,” Stiles said. “Remember to call every day.”

“Week.”

“Every other day.”

“When you can,” Derek said, prying Melody away from Stiles so that he could hug her as well. “Take care of yourself.”

“I will,” she assured.

“We’re really proud of you,” Derek said.

“I know,” she nodded.

“Just call if you need us or if you just miss home.”

“Okay.”

Melody pulled away then, her eyes wet with tears that she hastily wiped away with the edge of her sleeve. Stiles gave her one more hug before they headed toward the door of her dorm room.

“I love you,” she said.

“We love you too,” Stiles said and Derek nodded in agreement.

“I’ll see you again in a few days,” she said.

“Yeah, have fun and make friends and all of that other stuff,” Stiles said.

Melody laughed and nodded. “I’ll be sure to do that.”

There were a few more nods and goodbyes and I love yous before Derek and Stiles finally made their way out of the dorm. Derek wrapped his arm around Stiles’ shoulders and pulled him closer.

“So, I think we did okay,” Derek said.

“Yeah,” Stiles agreed. “We definitely did okay.”

**Author's Note:**

> All right, so just one more installment after this and then the series is complete. Oh, and everyone should go look at [the awesome graphic Jessica (my wondrous beta) made for Permanent Fixture](http://gavinofreeno.tumblr.com/post/40882783347/teen-wolf-au-permanent-fixture-you-were-this)!
> 
> Thanks for reading!


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